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The Happy Shop
Eleven-year-old Darcy thinks she’s found the answer to her problems when she discovers a store selling happy feelings. But is happiness really the only emotion people need? A heartwarming middle-grade graphic novel debut for fans of Inside Out and Pilu of the Woods about understanding the value in all feelings.
Welcome to the Happy Shop!
Eleven-year-old Darcy just moved to a new country. She’s feeling lost and misses her friends back home. That’s when she stumbles upon a shop full of mysterious glowing jars labeled with things like “Picking up the last sweater on the rack and it’s on sale” and “Having the perfect weather on your wedding day.” Much to Darcy’s surprise–this store sells happy feelings .
After Darcy accidentally breaks one of the irreplaceable jars, she must make it up to the shopkeepers, Frida and Flora, by doing chores around the store, and is soon tasked with collecting happy feelings. But she learns that the magical business is anything but magical. With fewer customers than ever, Frida and Flora might have to close their doors. Can Darcy think of an idea to save the Happy Shop? What if they sold more than just happy feelings?
From debut writer and illustrator Brittany Long Olsen comes The Happy Shop , a heartfelt story about helping those you love and understanding your feelings.
Welcome to the Happy Shop!
Eleven-year-old Darcy just moved to a new country. She’s feeling lost and misses her friends back home. That’s when she stumbles upon a shop full of mysterious glowing jars labeled with things like “Picking up the last sweater on the rack and it’s on sale” and “Having the perfect weather on your wedding day.” Much to Darcy’s surprise–this store sells happy feelings .
After Darcy accidentally breaks one of the irreplaceable jars, she must make it up to the shopkeepers, Frida and Flora, by doing chores around the store, and is soon tasked with collecting happy feelings. But she learns that the magical business is anything but magical. With fewer customers than ever, Frida and Flora might have to close their doors. Can Darcy think of an idea to save the Happy Shop? What if they sold more than just happy feelings?
From debut writer and illustrator Brittany Long Olsen comes The Happy Shop , a heartfelt story about helping those you love and understanding your feelings.
144 pages, Paperback
Published February 13, 2024
5 people are currently reading
416 people want to read
About the author
Brittany Long Olsen
12 books36 followersBrittany Long Olsen is a cartoonist, writer, and illustrator with a deep love of storytelling through comics. She lives and draws in Oregon with her partner and their two dogs, Jetpack and Digby.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
January 29, 2024
In a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel focussing on emotions and their positive manipulation through a “happy shop” selling feelings. A wholesome story but might be a bit too intense or deep for little minds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Story Synopsis:
In terms of concept, the book is fabulous. Understanding that happiness isn’t the only important emotion, and that there is “relative happiness” is an important life lesson for children, and this book presents it well.
That said, I feel that the complexities of emotions as explored in the book won’t be completely understood by younger middle graders. As the story comes from a middle grader’s perspective, the concept is put forth mainly through her eyes. But the philosophy of the book , though accurate, is deep, and thus, it might be better understood if read with adult guidance.
This might be one of the few times where I liked the morals more than the core story itself. The plot takes the title seriously and focusses mainly on “the happy shop”, with a minor focus on Darcy’s home life. As such, one crucial aspect of the child’s life – her experiences at her new school - is skipped out. Many minor elements are not included or quickly revealed within a single sentence, leaving much for the reader to gauge on their own.
The magical jars are an important conduit for the sale of emotions. I like how their functionality is depicted without going into technicalities. But there is a lot left to the imagination. Where do Flora and Frida get the jars? How do some of the more specific feelings provide happiness to their buyers? I wish there were a bit more detailing to this aspect.
The text is quite simple and at the level of the target age group. Many of the pages have only graphics and no text, thereby making this a quick read.
The illustrations were decent enough - not bad, but not excellent as well. They might work better for middle graders, but I have read far too many graphic novels by now to be mesmerised by a simplistic art style. Graphics are an important part of a graphic novel experience for me, and in this instance, I am somewhat disappointed. But the cover art does match what is inside, so at least it was not a case of false promises. What you see on the cover is what you get inside – I appreciate that.
I read this book with my younger daughter, who fits the target age group. She found the story “too simple and better for kids.” (Ahem!) However, I found the basic concept quite deep. So something clearly went awry between reading and processing in her mind. Or, it may just be, as I said earlier, that the philosophy of emotions is a bit too complex for children who haven’t experienced that many negative feelings yet.
All in all, a decent one-time read. But not too memorable for my middle-grader or me.
3.5 stars, rounding down because the in-house MG boss wasn’t impressed.
My thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Happy Shop”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Story Synopsis:
Eleven-year-old Darcy isn’t happy about moving to a new town where the people and the weather both seem unfriendly. While running an errand for her mother, she discovers a quaint store named “The Happy Shop”, which sells happy feelings. When Darcy accidentally breaks one of the magical jars, she is allowed to make it up to the shop owners, sisters Frida and Flora, by working there after school to help with the cleaning and simple chores. Darcy soon discovers that the shop isn’t doing so well. Can she help Flora and Frida save the shop? Along the way, she also learns how happiness works.
In terms of concept, the book is fabulous. Understanding that happiness isn’t the only important emotion, and that there is “relative happiness” is an important life lesson for children, and this book presents it well.
That said, I feel that the complexities of emotions as explored in the book won’t be completely understood by younger middle graders. As the story comes from a middle grader’s perspective, the concept is put forth mainly through her eyes. But the philosophy of the book , though accurate, is deep, and thus, it might be better understood if read with adult guidance.
This might be one of the few times where I liked the morals more than the core story itself. The plot takes the title seriously and focusses mainly on “the happy shop”, with a minor focus on Darcy’s home life. As such, one crucial aspect of the child’s life – her experiences at her new school - is skipped out. Many minor elements are not included or quickly revealed within a single sentence, leaving much for the reader to gauge on their own.
The magical jars are an important conduit for the sale of emotions. I like how their functionality is depicted without going into technicalities. But there is a lot left to the imagination. Where do Flora and Frida get the jars? How do some of the more specific feelings provide happiness to their buyers? I wish there were a bit more detailing to this aspect.
The text is quite simple and at the level of the target age group. Many of the pages have only graphics and no text, thereby making this a quick read.
The illustrations were decent enough - not bad, but not excellent as well. They might work better for middle graders, but I have read far too many graphic novels by now to be mesmerised by a simplistic art style. Graphics are an important part of a graphic novel experience for me, and in this instance, I am somewhat disappointed. But the cover art does match what is inside, so at least it was not a case of false promises. What you see on the cover is what you get inside – I appreciate that.
I read this book with my younger daughter, who fits the target age group. She found the story “too simple and better for kids.” (Ahem!) However, I found the basic concept quite deep. So something clearly went awry between reading and processing in her mind. Or, it may just be, as I said earlier, that the philosophy of emotions is a bit too complex for children who haven’t experienced that many negative feelings yet.
All in all, a decent one-time read. But not too memorable for my middle-grader or me.
3.5 stars, rounding down because the in-house MG boss wasn’t impressed.
My thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Happy Shop”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
November 21, 2023
A very sweet book about 11-year-old Darcy, who has recently moved to a new town with her mother, and there comes across a little shop run by two sisters, who catch emotional moments with magic jars, to sell to all kinds of people. But oh no, they're not selling enough..!
It's a moving tale, about finding your place and about living in the moment, all told through incredibly cute art. Very nice.
(Thanks to Oni Press for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley)
November 2, 2023
This was the most adorable and dually heart-breaking and heart-warming middle grade graphic novel and the most perfect way to start off a month of reading.
Eleven-year-old Darcy isn't too happy to have moved away from her friends, her school, and her home but her woes pale when confronted with her mother's. Determined to save her mother any more worries, and to distract herself from her new and lonely existence, she takes on a part-time job at The Happy Shop. This is a place where jars line every wall and, for a small price, customers can take home the different happy feelings and memories that reside inside of them.
This had such a beautiful message for younger readers and I think most who are suffering with feelings of displacement will find some of their troubles alleviated here. I had much fun reading it and fell in love with the entire cast of characters the moment they were introduced. Both this, the whimsical storyline, and the magical focus were a joy to read about and I really hope we get more adventures, in the future. There is much scope for new creations with this author's inventions here.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author and illustrator, Brittany Long Olsen, and the publisher, Oni Press, for this opportunity.
Eleven-year-old Darcy isn't too happy to have moved away from her friends, her school, and her home but her woes pale when confronted with her mother's. Determined to save her mother any more worries, and to distract herself from her new and lonely existence, she takes on a part-time job at The Happy Shop. This is a place where jars line every wall and, for a small price, customers can take home the different happy feelings and memories that reside inside of them.
This had such a beautiful message for younger readers and I think most who are suffering with feelings of displacement will find some of their troubles alleviated here. I had much fun reading it and fell in love with the entire cast of characters the moment they were introduced. Both this, the whimsical storyline, and the magical focus were a joy to read about and I really hope we get more adventures, in the future. There is much scope for new creations with this author's inventions here.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author and illustrator, Brittany Long Olsen, and the publisher, Oni Press, for this opportunity.
November 7, 2023
such a cute little read!
some days a little jar of happiness sounds like the most perfect thing.
It's a cute and such a wholesome story, the art is really cute!
Thank you Netgalley, Brittany Long Olsen and Oni Press for a copy in exchange for an honest review!
some days a little jar of happiness sounds like the most perfect thing.
It's a cute and such a wholesome story, the art is really cute!
Thank you Netgalley, Brittany Long Olsen and Oni Press for a copy in exchange for an honest review!
December 30, 2024
This book was so sweet and heartwarming and cozy, I loved it. The illustrations were adorable as well.
The Happy Shop is about a young girl named Darcy who has just moved to a new country with her mom. While she’s struggling to acclimate to her new surroundings, she comes across a magic shop that sells happy feelings. From there, we get to see how she and the shop help each other.
One thing I found really cool about The Happy Shop (the store in the book) is that it reminds me of a library or a bookstore. How? Well, customers can come in and shop for feelings. Isn’t that what we do with books? We look for books that will make us happy or sad or curious or excited. We’re searching for feelings. I think that’s going to resonate with everyone who reads this graphic novel.
I also loved that it made me stop and think about emotions, about gratitude, about community. Excellent read!
Thank you to Oni Press and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. This book will be out on February 13, 2024
The Happy Shop is about a young girl named Darcy who has just moved to a new country with her mom. While she’s struggling to acclimate to her new surroundings, she comes across a magic shop that sells happy feelings. From there, we get to see how she and the shop help each other.
One thing I found really cool about The Happy Shop (the store in the book) is that it reminds me of a library or a bookstore. How? Well, customers can come in and shop for feelings. Isn’t that what we do with books? We look for books that will make us happy or sad or curious or excited. We’re searching for feelings. I think that’s going to resonate with everyone who reads this graphic novel.
I also loved that it made me stop and think about emotions, about gratitude, about community. Excellent read!
Thank you to Oni Press and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. This book will be out on February 13, 2024
December 27, 2023
— 5 ⚝
this was such a heartwarming, slice of life read. i was immersed in the story and the art from page one. the art style is so simplistic yet so refined that i was completely taken with it. the characters are all so wonderfully illustrated and portrayed.
Darcy and her mother move to a new town and Darcy feels less than content about it. Upon wandering the streets, she finds The Happy Shop. A shop that collects and sells "happy feelings" to people who need them. when she breaks one of the jars by mistake, she is asked to work there as compensation. slowly, she pays her debt while also discovering that happiness is not the only emotion you need and that all emotions are equally important. together, they all must also find a way to keep the shop running because it is struggling financially.
the theme of all emotions being important is depicted in such a subtle way. i rlly enjoyed that it is not rubbed in your face but you're just expected to pick up on it and enjoy the ride. i loved following along with darcy and her journey getting to know Flora and Frida and working at the shop. the premise is so unique and one i was immediately pulled in by.
this was simultaneously a heart warming and heart aching read for me. the characters. the setting. the premise. the art style. they were all so so great.
i feel that a lot of young readers will resonate with the feelings and themes in this book and a book that absolutely needs to be in all therapists' offices.
this is 100% pilu of the woods meets inside out.
thank you to netgalley and onipress for an e-arc of this graphic novel. all thoughts are my own and not influenced in any way.
this was such a heartwarming, slice of life read. i was immersed in the story and the art from page one. the art style is so simplistic yet so refined that i was completely taken with it. the characters are all so wonderfully illustrated and portrayed.
Darcy and her mother move to a new town and Darcy feels less than content about it. Upon wandering the streets, she finds The Happy Shop. A shop that collects and sells "happy feelings" to people who need them. when she breaks one of the jars by mistake, she is asked to work there as compensation. slowly, she pays her debt while also discovering that happiness is not the only emotion you need and that all emotions are equally important. together, they all must also find a way to keep the shop running because it is struggling financially.
the theme of all emotions being important is depicted in such a subtle way. i rlly enjoyed that it is not rubbed in your face but you're just expected to pick up on it and enjoy the ride. i loved following along with darcy and her journey getting to know Flora and Frida and working at the shop. the premise is so unique and one i was immediately pulled in by.
this was simultaneously a heart warming and heart aching read for me. the characters. the setting. the premise. the art style. they were all so so great.
i feel that a lot of young readers will resonate with the feelings and themes in this book and a book that absolutely needs to be in all therapists' offices.
this is 100% pilu of the woods meets inside out.
thank you to netgalley and onipress for an e-arc of this graphic novel. all thoughts are my own and not influenced in any way.
December 15, 2023
That ending was just the best!!! So good, so wholesome and perfect.
I loved the idea of collecting bits of happy moments/feelings and selling them to people who needed a pick-me-up. I loved the many original collected moments/feelings and the store was so cozy and Flora, one of the shop owners, was so nice, she was my favorite character by far.
But I’m not the biggest fan of the illustrations, parts of the writing and unfortunately some things just didn’t make sense, like a mom not having visited the place where her child is working after school, not even knowing who employed her and in a place they just moved to. Also, one of the shop owners (the grumpy sister) was just written to blunt and harsh in my opinion. And a lot of negative and grownup problems are shared with Darcy, a child who already has a lot on her plate because of the move.
This is about Darcy, she lives with her mom at an unknown place they just moved to. She’s being a typical grumpy teenager about it until her mom finally gets her out of the house to run some errands for her. She gets lost in her own thoughts which causes her to get lost for real too. And that’s how she discovers The Happy Shop, a place where parts of happy moments/feelings are sold in magic jars. She opens/uses a jar without realizing and destroys one accidentally too. She doesn’t have the money to pay for it so she ends up working there and that helps not only her but so many people in the end and maybe even the shop itself too!
Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.
I loved the idea of collecting bits of happy moments/feelings and selling them to people who needed a pick-me-up. I loved the many original collected moments/feelings and the store was so cozy and Flora, one of the shop owners, was so nice, she was my favorite character by far.
But I’m not the biggest fan of the illustrations, parts of the writing and unfortunately some things just didn’t make sense, like a mom not having visited the place where her child is working after school, not even knowing who employed her and in a place they just moved to. Also, one of the shop owners (the grumpy sister) was just written to blunt and harsh in my opinion. And a lot of negative and grownup problems are shared with Darcy, a child who already has a lot on her plate because of the move.
This is about Darcy, she lives with her mom at an unknown place they just moved to. She’s being a typical grumpy teenager about it until her mom finally gets her out of the house to run some errands for her. She gets lost in her own thoughts which causes her to get lost for real too. And that’s how she discovers The Happy Shop, a place where parts of happy moments/feelings are sold in magic jars. She opens/uses a jar without realizing and destroys one accidentally too. She doesn’t have the money to pay for it so she ends up working there and that helps not only her but so many people in the end and maybe even the shop itself too!
Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.
October 26, 2023
This was such a wholesome middle grade graphic novel! We have a mom who moved her young daughter across the world for a new job and a shop that sells happy memories.
I love what this graphic novel represents and it's short, so it's hard to talk about it without spoilers. This story talks about both pre-teen emotions and adult ones, which I found refreshing. I loved how the author included her mother's feelings with the move and experiences in this.
My favorite part is what the book represents. We're talking about how complex feelings are and that 'negative' emotions don't have to be negative all the time. The message is very reminiscent of inside-out. The illustrations are simple, but pretty.
Reading this as a thirty year old woman still gave me the warm and fuzzies.
I love what this graphic novel represents and it's short, so it's hard to talk about it without spoilers. This story talks about both pre-teen emotions and adult ones, which I found refreshing. I loved how the author included her mother's feelings with the move and experiences in this.
My favorite part is what the book represents. We're talking about how complex feelings are and that 'negative' emotions don't have to be negative all the time. The message is very reminiscent of inside-out. The illustrations are simple, but pretty.
Reading this as a thirty year old woman still gave me the warm and fuzzies.
October 29, 2023
The happy shop is a story of a job that sells, not so much happiness, but memories of happiness. Things like getting a puppy as a present, or finding a five dollar bill in an old coat, or the first taste of ice cream. When Darcy finds the shop for the first time, she accidentally breaks some of the jars, and has to make up for the lost jars, by helping around the shop.
This is a cute story about the things that make us both happy and sad. Do we always want only happy thoughts, or some of the sad thoughts worth having as well?
I like some of the examples given in the shop, and how the two sisters that run it realize that perhaps only happy times are not the only thing people need. Nice illustrations, and interesting take on memories and thoughts.
A quick read, this is going to be published the 13th of February 2024. Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This is a cute story about the things that make us both happy and sad. Do we always want only happy thoughts, or some of the sad thoughts worth having as well?
I like some of the examples given in the shop, and how the two sisters that run it realize that perhaps only happy times are not the only thing people need. Nice illustrations, and interesting take on memories and thoughts.
A quick read, this is going to be published the 13th of February 2024. Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
July 25, 2024
4.5⭐
Didn't want this book to end!
It excelled in exploring happiness, perspective, change and the complexities of feelings, all with so much heart and while keeping the reader engaged. Never have I come across a book that nailed such nuanced concepts so perfectly.
I also love the unique storyline and likeable characters, the vibrant artwork and gorgeous colour palette, as well as the simple text-to-image ratio.
What a beautiful, charming, enjoyable and wholesome read.
Didn't want this book to end!
It excelled in exploring happiness, perspective, change and the complexities of feelings, all with so much heart and while keeping the reader engaged. Never have I come across a book that nailed such nuanced concepts so perfectly.
I also love the unique storyline and likeable characters, the vibrant artwork and gorgeous colour palette, as well as the simple text-to-image ratio.
What a beautiful, charming, enjoyable and wholesome read.
December 14, 2023
Hello Again,
This week is going by crazy fast and I feel like I have so many reviews to catch up on before the end of the year hits! I have already started thinking about my Goodreads goal for next year and I am not sure if I will keep it at the same spot or make it a little lower. I do participate in the challenge but it’s more of an ideal goal than anything else. But for now, we need to continue reviewing the rest of the reads from this year! So let’s jump into The Happy Shop!
SPOILERS AHEAD
Darcy and her mom just moved to a whole new country so her mother could take a great job opportunity. Darcy is not super thrilled but she is trying to make it work for her mom. So in the spirit of making things work Darcy ventures out one day shortly after moving and ends up in a tiny shop in town. It’s got lots of glass mason jars everywhere and they all have interesting labels on them that sound like memories. On accident, Darcy knocks over a bottle or two and is confronted by the owners. One owner is incredibly sweet and caring towards Darcy while the other seems kind of mean. Darcy quickly learns that the owners are sisters and is offered a sort of job to help them out in the shop to pay for the broken glasses. Darcy starts working at the shop and is really enjoying it but she is also learning that the shop and its wares are so much more than she could have ever thought.
I absolutely adored this graphic novel, so I want to give a big thank you to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. The art in this graphic novel absolutely pops off the page, with several rich colors being used throughout the story. The story was equally amazing. The idea of happiness in a jar and collecting other emotions was very interesting and fun to see how Darcy kind of helped to evolve that idea. I am definitely going to be adding a copy of this to my collection! This graphic novel comes out on February 13th, 2024! Definitely check it out! I highly recommend it.
Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars
***Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
This week is going by crazy fast and I feel like I have so many reviews to catch up on before the end of the year hits! I have already started thinking about my Goodreads goal for next year and I am not sure if I will keep it at the same spot or make it a little lower. I do participate in the challenge but it’s more of an ideal goal than anything else. But for now, we need to continue reviewing the rest of the reads from this year! So let’s jump into The Happy Shop!
SPOILERS AHEAD
Darcy and her mom just moved to a whole new country so her mother could take a great job opportunity. Darcy is not super thrilled but she is trying to make it work for her mom. So in the spirit of making things work Darcy ventures out one day shortly after moving and ends up in a tiny shop in town. It’s got lots of glass mason jars everywhere and they all have interesting labels on them that sound like memories. On accident, Darcy knocks over a bottle or two and is confronted by the owners. One owner is incredibly sweet and caring towards Darcy while the other seems kind of mean. Darcy quickly learns that the owners are sisters and is offered a sort of job to help them out in the shop to pay for the broken glasses. Darcy starts working at the shop and is really enjoying it but she is also learning that the shop and its wares are so much more than she could have ever thought.
I absolutely adored this graphic novel, so I want to give a big thank you to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. The art in this graphic novel absolutely pops off the page, with several rich colors being used throughout the story. The story was equally amazing. The idea of happiness in a jar and collecting other emotions was very interesting and fun to see how Darcy kind of helped to evolve that idea. I am definitely going to be adding a copy of this to my collection! This graphic novel comes out on February 13th, 2024! Definitely check it out! I highly recommend it.
Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars
***Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
November 25, 2023
A short and heart-warming graphic novel about a girl who moves to a town with a special shop selling happy feelings
I loved the concept of collecting snippets of happy memories and storing them in jars for others to experience later on!🫙 I feel like we had the groundworks for a lovely story, but certain aspects just needed a little more elaborating for it to truly work.. There was just something missing from the story?
All in all though, it's a great story for younger readers to pick up :))
Rating: 3/5
— thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing the eARC for review. All opinions are my own.
I loved the concept of collecting snippets of happy memories and storing them in jars for others to experience later on!🫙 I feel like we had the groundworks for a lovely story, but certain aspects just needed a little more elaborating for it to truly work.. There was just something missing from the story?
All in all though, it's a great story for younger readers to pick up :))
Rating: 3/5
— thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing the eARC for review. All opinions are my own.
October 20, 2024
This book is a middle-grade graphic novel that I requested a few months back intrigued by its synopsis. The story revolves around a young girl Darcy, who discovers a magical shop filled with jars of happiness. As she assists the shopkeepers, Frida and Flora as a part-timer, she learns that happiness is far more complicated than it seems on the outside. The book conveys the message that all emotions are valid and that happiness is a journey, not a destination. It also encourages the readers to embrace every emotion that comes their way.
October 31, 2023
Thank you First Second Books and Netgalley for this digital arc.
Very wholesome and sweet middle grade graphic novel with a wonderful premise of a shop that sells happy feelings.
Darcy is sad having moved away from everything she’s ever known and because of an accident ends up working at the store.
Overall a lovely story with beautiful graphics. It did end slightly abruptly for me but it also felt right for the story/middle grade length.
Very wholesome and sweet middle grade graphic novel with a wonderful premise of a shop that sells happy feelings.
Darcy is sad having moved away from everything she’s ever known and because of an accident ends up working at the store.
Overall a lovely story with beautiful graphics. It did end slightly abruptly for me but it also felt right for the story/middle grade length.
November 17, 2023
***Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for the free eArc. All opinions are my own***
Such an adorable little story. I loved seeing Darcy's growth and I loved the concept of the book.
Absolutely adored the idea of a store that sells happy memories, and loved even more how the idea of selling and then trading feelings evolved as the story progressed.
Such an adorable little story. I loved seeing Darcy's growth and I loved the concept of the book.
Absolutely adored the idea of a store that sells happy memories, and loved even more how the idea of selling and then trading feelings evolved as the story progressed.
January 17, 2024
4.25 stars
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘
This simple, cute, deeply-meaningful, and light-hearted comic brought warmth to my heart. It was a very quick read, but the warm aftertaste lingered in my heart for quite some time after reading. You don't need to read a lot of self-help non-fiction books, you might just need to read this short comic to understand some crucial things about happiness that takes me years to really realize everything.
- "Happiness doesn't last forever" - Flora
- To understand happiness and be grateful for those happy moments, we might have to experience sadness
This book isn't pretentious; it just hits hard.
The only drawback I can think of is that it feels too simple to me. This story would be awesome if the author elaborates more.
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘
This simple, cute, deeply-meaningful, and light-hearted comic brought warmth to my heart. It was a very quick read, but the warm aftertaste lingered in my heart for quite some time after reading. You don't need to read a lot of self-help non-fiction books, you might just need to read this short comic to understand some crucial things about happiness that takes me years to really realize everything.
- "Happiness doesn't last forever" - Flora
- To understand happiness and be grateful for those happy moments, we might have to experience sadness
This book isn't pretentious; it just hits hard.
The only drawback I can think of is that it feels too simple to me. This story would be awesome if the author elaborates more.
January 29, 2024
Themes:
Fresh Start / New Town
Happiness
Loneliness
Memories
Magical Realism / Light Magic
Trigger Warnings:
Death of a parent
Darcy and her mum have just moved to a new town. To get her out of the house, Darcy’s mum sends her out on an errand to get groceries and stumbles upon a magical little store called “The Happy Shop”. The shop collects and sells memories, and after an accident during her visit, Darcy has to help out the owners after school and learns more about their work.
This was a sweet little story that was easy to get through and full of heart. I teared up at multiple points within the story. The creator has such a talent for conveying emotion and furthering the story in such a small amount of pages. The artwork was simple and lovely, I think this could be a wonderful story for middle-grade age readers to pick up.
Highly recommend to readers of Ghoster Heights and Ghosts (both middle grade graphic novels with similar themes that I loved).
Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for the e-copy to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Fresh Start / New Town
Happiness
Loneliness
Memories
Magical Realism / Light Magic
Trigger Warnings:
Death of a parent
Darcy and her mum have just moved to a new town. To get her out of the house, Darcy’s mum sends her out on an errand to get groceries and stumbles upon a magical little store called “The Happy Shop”. The shop collects and sells memories, and after an accident during her visit, Darcy has to help out the owners after school and learns more about their work.
This was a sweet little story that was easy to get through and full of heart. I teared up at multiple points within the story. The creator has such a talent for conveying emotion and furthering the story in such a small amount of pages. The artwork was simple and lovely, I think this could be a wonderful story for middle-grade age readers to pick up.
Highly recommend to readers of Ghoster Heights and Ghosts (both middle grade graphic novels with similar themes that I loved).
Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for the e-copy to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 6, 2023
This book had me crying my eyes out. It made me feel all the feels. I love it so much!! The idea of catching emotions in jars is really sweet and the whole story is just so heartwarming. I highly recommend this book to anyone!
February 11, 2024
Thank you net galley for sending me an eArc
The art style of this graphic novel was what made me read it and I really liked it! It's really cute! Although I expected more from the story I thought it was gonna be more emotional . But I liked the idea and the message it tried to convey.
The art style of this graphic novel was what made me read it and I really liked it! It's really cute! Although I expected more from the story I thought it was gonna be more emotional . But I liked the idea and the message it tried to convey.
May 5, 2024
Such a sweet, unusual story about a girl moving to a new town/country(?) with her mom and discovering a shop that sells feelings of happiness in jars. Winds up being about noticing others/empathy and the fleeting nature of feelings/importance of feeling your emotions.
October 27, 2023
Very wholesome and sweet middle grade graphic novel, showing that feelings of happiness or sadness aren't black or white, you can feel grateful for a sad feeling, with a touch of fantasy.
April 9, 2024
Ugh! This made me cry, but in like a happy way, and now I feel stupid!
November 10, 2025
A unique idea about seeking out and holding onto the feelings we think will make us feel a certain way, and learning that emotions don’t always work the way we expect them to.
October 20, 2024
3.5 short and sweet!
May 18, 2024
Intriguing graphic novel that made me think. A shop sells jars with happy memories inside so when you buy one, you are buying a temporary feeling of happiness. Collecting the memories to put in the jars is the best part in my opinion. Kids will like this one.
January 3, 2024
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Netgalley.)
-- 3.5 stars --
Ever since her mom Helen uprooted the family and moved them to a new town for work, eleven-year-old Darcy has been sullen and unhappy. Perhaps this is why she's drawn through the doorway of The Happy Shop during what's supposed to be a routine grocery run. When she accidentally breaks a few priceless jars ("once-in-a-lifetimers"), owner Flora convinces her to pay off the debt by doing some chores in the store - much to her sister Frida's displeasure.
The Happy Shop is its own kind of magic: special jars passed down from generations of Flora and Frida's ancestors collect happy feelings, allowing customers to purchase an hour of joy when they need it most. But the shop has fallen on hard times, and Frida thinks it might be time to sell. When Darcy accidentally collects a sad feeling - and it actually ends up being just what their customer needs most - she convinces the sisters to revamp their shop. Can a radical change of perspective save The Happy Shop - and its clients?
THE HAPPY SHOP is an adorably sweet middle grade graphic novel about feeling all the feelings, be they good or bad. (She types while spending Christmas Eve alone, caring for a beloved senior dog who's not long for this world. Yes, I might be feeling extra emotional tonight, but the ending had me ugly crying.)
-- 3.5 stars --
Ever since her mom Helen uprooted the family and moved them to a new town for work, eleven-year-old Darcy has been sullen and unhappy. Perhaps this is why she's drawn through the doorway of The Happy Shop during what's supposed to be a routine grocery run. When she accidentally breaks a few priceless jars ("once-in-a-lifetimers"), owner Flora convinces her to pay off the debt by doing some chores in the store - much to her sister Frida's displeasure.
The Happy Shop is its own kind of magic: special jars passed down from generations of Flora and Frida's ancestors collect happy feelings, allowing customers to purchase an hour of joy when they need it most. But the shop has fallen on hard times, and Frida thinks it might be time to sell. When Darcy accidentally collects a sad feeling - and it actually ends up being just what their customer needs most - she convinces the sisters to revamp their shop. Can a radical change of perspective save The Happy Shop - and its clients?
THE HAPPY SHOP is an adorably sweet middle grade graphic novel about feeling all the feelings, be they good or bad. (She types while spending Christmas Eve alone, caring for a beloved senior dog who's not long for this world. Yes, I might be feeling extra emotional tonight, but the ending had me ugly crying.)
March 1, 2024
I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
Meet a girl named Darcy, she has just moved and IS NOT AMUSED by it. When her mom tells her to go exploring she encounters a quaint little shop that apparently sells feelings. Yes, feelings. When something happens she has to work there and that is the start of a really fun story! With magic. Acceptance. Feelings. Family. And more. And I can say that I enjoyed it all!
Meet Darcy, a girl who has moved to a whole new town, a whole new place, and she is not amused with it all. She misses her friends. Her mom is also not always very happy and we see that affecting her. But then she discovers a shop of feelings. And she gets curious. And as the story continues we see her get quite invested in this shop. About what it does. About how it works. About the people who come to visit and the people who search for feelings. I really loved seeing Darcy change and find her place. And I loved seeing her work hard at the store. Think of new ideas + more.
The store? I would definitely love to visit it. It sounds like such a wonderful place and I could use some happy feelings at times. They got quite a few different ones (like eating that first bite of ice cream or a puppy falling asleep on your lap (which my dear Coco is currently doing)) and I am curious if I would find the one perfect for me!
Flora was just so sweet and wonderful and I loved how she took Darcy under her wings. Talked to her. Told her to always come to her when she needed. Allowed Darcy to bring in ideas and taught Darcy how to do the whole feelings in a jar thing. She was just like a grandma. Cosy, warm, hospitable. I loved seeing Darcy and her getting closer and closer.
But the reason why I wouldn’t rate this 4.5 or 5 stars if Frida. She was a horrible character. She does get a bit better by the end, but for most she is a grumpy old bitch. It was due to YOU that she smashed those bottles. She is just curious no need to be a rotten old hag about it. She is trying, no need to put her down. And there are more instances that I just wanted to stop reading because of Frida. Later on something big happens and seriously, that was just uncalled for.
The art was really pretty. I loved the way the characters were drawn. But the town they live in? Boy, I just wanted to step in the book and pop by some stores. Walk through the streets. Love it!
All in all, a beautiful book about finding a place to belong, about feelings, about magic, and more! I would recommend it.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Meet a girl named Darcy, she has just moved and IS NOT AMUSED by it. When her mom tells her to go exploring she encounters a quaint little shop that apparently sells feelings. Yes, feelings. When something happens she has to work there and that is the start of a really fun story! With magic. Acceptance. Feelings. Family. And more. And I can say that I enjoyed it all!
Meet Darcy, a girl who has moved to a whole new town, a whole new place, and she is not amused with it all. She misses her friends. Her mom is also not always very happy and we see that affecting her. But then she discovers a shop of feelings. And she gets curious. And as the story continues we see her get quite invested in this shop. About what it does. About how it works. About the people who come to visit and the people who search for feelings. I really loved seeing Darcy change and find her place. And I loved seeing her work hard at the store. Think of new ideas + more.
The store? I would definitely love to visit it. It sounds like such a wonderful place and I could use some happy feelings at times. They got quite a few different ones (like eating that first bite of ice cream or a puppy falling asleep on your lap (which my dear Coco is currently doing)) and I am curious if I would find the one perfect for me!
Flora was just so sweet and wonderful and I loved how she took Darcy under her wings. Talked to her. Told her to always come to her when she needed. Allowed Darcy to bring in ideas and taught Darcy how to do the whole feelings in a jar thing. She was just like a grandma. Cosy, warm, hospitable. I loved seeing Darcy and her getting closer and closer.
But the reason why I wouldn’t rate this 4.5 or 5 stars if Frida. She was a horrible character. She does get a bit better by the end, but for most she is a grumpy old bitch. It was due to YOU that she smashed those bottles. She is just curious no need to be a rotten old hag about it. She is trying, no need to put her down. And there are more instances that I just wanted to stop reading because of Frida. Later on something big happens and seriously, that was just uncalled for.
The art was really pretty. I loved the way the characters were drawn. But the town they live in? Boy, I just wanted to step in the book and pop by some stores. Walk through the streets. Love it!
All in all, a beautiful book about finding a place to belong, about feelings, about magic, and more! I would recommend it.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
April 23, 2024
This is a sweet middle-grade graphic novel about 11-year-old Darcy who is having a rough time when she discovers a quaint little store called The Happy Shop. While browsing the bottled pick-me-ups the store offers, she accidentally breaks one of the magical jars used to collect happy feelings and has no way to pay for it. This sticky situation leads to the opportunity of a lifetime and a little adventure that gives the characters—and the reader—some much-needed perspective.
I found the artwork very clear and approachable, even if on the "simple" side. I'd argue that it's charming! While I did find the ending a bit abrupt, the story of The Happy Shop is just like the products it offers: a quick warm & fuzzy feeling that's definitely worth the while.
Thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for this ARC! The Happy Shop by Brittany Long Olsen came out on February 13, 2024 and is available now!
I found the artwork very clear and approachable, even if on the "simple" side. I'd argue that it's charming! While I did find the ending a bit abrupt, the story of The Happy Shop is just like the products it offers: a quick warm & fuzzy feeling that's definitely worth the while.
Thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for this ARC! The Happy Shop by Brittany Long Olsen came out on February 13, 2024 and is available now!
January 19, 2024
Darcy is not pleased that she's had to move to a new country after her mom gets a new job. In her grumpiness, she stumbles across a little shop called the Happy Shop, where two older women sell happiness in jars. After a little accident, Darcy ends up working at the shop and learning what it means to really be happy. Happiness can be fleeting, but so can money, and if Darcy and the ladies can't find a way to turn things around, there might be just a little less happiness in the world.
This is a fairly simple story, but it makes some good points. I love the full cast of characters and I'm charmed by the way that it introduces feelings and perspectives as something to be cherished, whether they're positive or negative. I'll definitely be recommending this one to my youngest students.
Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
This is a fairly simple story, but it makes some good points. I love the full cast of characters and I'm charmed by the way that it introduces feelings and perspectives as something to be cherished, whether they're positive or negative. I'll definitely be recommending this one to my youngest students.
Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
May 4, 2024
This was a short, cozy graphic novel about a girl adjusting to life in a new country and the magical shop that she discovers in her new town. The Happy Shop collects happy memories in jars that people can buy. When Darcy breaks some of the jars on her first visit she starts working there to make up for the damage, and she learns about the magic of the shop. The shop is struggling though, so they need to come up with a different way to operate.
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